Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: li@Data-IO.COM (Phyllis Rostykus)
Subject: [AU] [~storm] [~MG] A Nice Day for a Walk
Message-ID: <1993Apr17.195327.25938@data-io.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 19:53:27 GMT

[ADMIN - This is rather long, but of a piece... Thanks to Hutch for letting
me use 'Raelf and for his feedback.  Thanks to Sheryl and Andrea for their
part and their writing for the last part of this.  And the reason for the
~'s is cause those lines are just a little bit peripheral to this...]

-------

	The tallish, almost boy-slender figure of a woman with
dried-blood red hair walked out of the Weaver's Guild with a look of
wonder on her face.  She walked funny.  Hesitating at odd points in
each step, rolling her weight along the entire length of her left leg,
then consciously all along the foot in it's worn travelling boot.

	A blonde man with eyes that flickered all the colors there are
and a few that there aren't watched her quietly.  He smiled at her
explorations as he walked with grace that echoed that of a hunting
cat's.  As they exited the Guild he glanced around, getting his
bearings and then said, "Hey, let's go to the Dragon's for lunch - I'm
supposed to meet Raye there in a few minutes anyway."

	Kardia nodded, only half hearing.  She felt muscles she hadn't
known she'd had unbunch and stretch for the first time in almost two
months.  Ever since the slaver had hacked off the front half of her left
foot after an attempted escape, she'd felt crippled.  While it wasn't as
bad as those who had lost an entire limb and she'd at least been able to
walk, she'd lost the freedom of walking without thinking.  Lost the grace
of movement that had been a little like breathing.

	So now she breathed and walked.

	At first, she was so occupied with the sheer sensation of walking
that she wasn't watching where she was going, trusting 'Raelf's presense
for guidance.  When she looked up she found that they'd gone east of the
south east corner of Merchants' Hill, into a far less wealthy portion of
the city.  The storm had flattened a lot of the wooden structures that were
there.  There were workmen out like a swarm of ants, cheerfully calling out
to each other, pulling broken things even further apart to put on the
mounting pile of debris in the streets, and banging away at frames that
were gradually getting erected into houses and rooms.

	It looked as if it were going to be a far nicer place than it had
been, Kardia thought as she saw broken, grafitti'ed and hole filled walls
being replaced with new walls.  

	She snapped back into awareness of her body as she caught herself
in the old familiar rhythm of her old limp.  She scowled to herself and
concentrated on walking with slightly longer strides.  Then she realized
how fast she was going and started to slow, but, out of the corner of her
eye, she saw that 'Raelf was keeping easy pace with her.

	And grinning at her.

	She rolled her eyes heavenward and kept up her stride; but with a
little more attention to her surroundings.

	"'Ware!" a voice sung out, and she stopped abruptly as a bundle of
broken shakes dropped from the rooftop in front of her.  She grinned at the
ease of the stop and the consequent start.

	The alleys were getting more crowded, and Kardia was having to look
where she was going as she worked her way around men carrying loads of
lumber, shakes, roofing paper, cans of tar, bags of nails, and wall board.
She found herself using her new found balance to move more quickly and
easily even through the center of the crowd instead of hanging around along
the edges of the walkways.  The quickness she was moving with delighted her.
She found herself smiling at people, looking a few in the eye, and
realizing just how long it had been since she'd done that. 

	She soon found out why it was getting more crowded as the small
street spilled out onto a main causeway.  Most of the traffic on the
main causeway turned onto this side of the city.  It seemed that here
was where most of the repairs were needed and headed.  

	There were statues that lined the main causeway on both sides.
The rain had washed most of them clean and white, though many of them
were broken or defaced.  Some were missing heads, hands, and the
bodies were cracked or chipped.  A flowing cape ended in a stub of
broken stone.  She went on tip toe, just because she could, and traced
the jawline of a stone horse with no ears.

	Someone bumped into her, and she felt the tug at her bag.  She
hesitated the moment it took for her to remember what she had, and her leg
swung out in a roundhouse kick that landed her shin in what should have
been the softness of the thief's belly.  Kardia hit more bone than she was
expecting.  Coins rang as they hit the cobblestones.

	"Ooof!" said the thief; but the teenage girl didn't drop or fold
over Kardia's shin.  Instead, the thief simply grimaced and started to
run.  Kardia took two quick leaps and grabbed the back of the thief's
collar.  For a moment, Kardia was amazed that she's managed to catch the
girl.  Then she caught a shining blur of movement.  She dropped her hold
on the girl and jumped back.  It was only when she watched the little
thief vanish into the crowd that Kardia consciously realized the blur had
been a knife. 

        She then noticed 'Raelf looking at her with another look after the
girl.  "It's O.K." Kardia said, fingering the neat slit in the bottom of
her money bag.  She went back to him and knelt easily to pick up the coins
that had dropped.  

        She laughed breathlessly, as the adrenaline flooded in.  "Actually
more than O.K.  She didn't get anything more than a couple copper and
silver off me.  Most of my money's safe and deep in my stuff at Mrs.
Cludne's."  Kardia stood and glanced into the crowd, remembering the feel
of bone, "She could probably use it more than I could... and compared to
what she gave me back..."  She grinned and did a single front kick with
her weight on her left leg.  The toes of her right foot were about level
with her shoulders.  "Yowch." Kardia grimaced at tendons popping with the
movement and then laughed, "Looks like I'm going to have no more excuses
about not being in shape..."

	'Raelf laughed.  "Not bad for a gimpy lady.  Hey, I'm getting a
place set up to practice, since Serene needs some work after having her
kidling ... you interested?"

	"Practice?  You mean, martial arts?" Kardia asked with wide
eyes.

	"Yeah, I'm second Dan aikido and rated competent-to-teach in
Stone Monkey and Drunk Monkey styles, and I studied Jeet Kune Do in
Hong Kong for a while, but never examined for a rating.  Oh, and I do
know how to use sword and staff, at least forty different styles."

	"Goodness." she said, "I've always wanted to learn aikido."
Then she thought for a few steps, "Why?"

	"Camoflage, mostly, and magic isn't always appropriate or even
possible.  And sometimes it comes with the body.  Besides, it's fun."

	At the last she grinned and said, "Yeah... That would be fun."

-------

        They reached the Dragon's Inn without futher incident and as she
walked in the door, Andrea waved at 'Raelf and called out "Hey, Kardia,
over here!"  'Raelf kept going to his table by the fireplace.  Oh, right.
lunch, thought Kardia and realized she could probably get measurements and
such done in time to join them again during the meal.

        Kardia knew she was stretching the still unfamiliar feelings in her
newfound foot as she walked over, but only smiled as she reached Andrea.
"Nice day for a walk." she said trying not to smile too hard.

        Andrea whistled for Sheryl and the little 'corn got up, nickered
and trotted over to Kardia.  Kardia gently ran her fingers over the silky
softness of the little unicorn's neck.  "Braids?" Kardia asked as she ran a
finger down the smooth, neat intertwining of Sheryl's mane.

        "A little girl down at the Temple of Aditi did it," Andrea said, "I
think it's rather cute, don't you?"  Sheryl snoted in disgust, causing both
Kardia and Andrea to laugh out loud.

        "So, Andrea, have you and Sheryl decided just what you wish to do
about the curse?"  Kardia asked.

        Andrea nodded.  "We would like you to dispel the curse, as long as
doing so would not interfere with Sheryl's current shape-identity."

        Kardia nodded, thinking hard.  "Is there somewhere we can talk in
private and I can get a full set of measurements?"

        Andrea nodded.  "Our room."

        "O.K., good.  I need to discuss this operation with you."

        Kardia swung her legs back around and got up to follow Andrea
and Sheryl to their room.  When they reached the little room, Kardia
asked, "Is it O.K. for her to stand on the bed?  It'd be easier for me
to reach..."

        As Kardia spoke, Sheryl bounded onto the bed. 

        Kardia chuckled and said, "This might tickle a little, but I gotta
be accurate on these."  She pulled a fountain pen, a piece of parchment,
and a piece of string with a number of colored knots on it.  She sketched a
stick figure of the 'corn on it, with a rectangle for the body, and four
legs, the neck and head.  

        "All right, what's up?" Andrea asked, as she craned her neck to see
what Kardia was drawing.

        Kardia then took the string and wrapped it around Sheryl's barrel,
read it and wrote a number on the figure with a circled arrow around the
stick figure's barrel.  Another back just before the rear legs, and a
different number and another circled arrow at the back of the figure.  Then
from the middle of Sheryl's chest to juet below her tail.  Then down a
front leg, down a back leg, and both of those measurements were split at
the knees.  In front a measurement from the shoulder to where the leg
joined her body.  In the back from the top of her rear hip to where her
rear leg joined.  Then around the top and bottom of each leg.  Around the
neck just above where it joined with the body, then up near Sheryl's jaw.
Then from the top of Sheryl's head to her withers and in front from the
crook of her throat to the center of her chest.  Then from the center of
her chest to the point just between her front legs.  And on and on and
on... it seemed an innumerable number of measurements that seemed to cover
every single inch of the little 'corn.  A few of the measurements looked as
if she were taking them from the air around the 'corn.  By the end of it
Kardia had half a dozen different strings on the bed and two other drawings
with more scribbles on them.  They were details of Sheryl's head, a hoof,
one front leg and one back leg as well as one which looked like an abstract
line drawing of a pattern web.

        As she measured and wrote, Kardia said, "Sorry 'bout this, I know
that 'Raelf has an easier and quicker way to do this, but I'm not exactly
sure how his measurements convert, so I thought I'd be absolutely sure and
do it my way so I know exactly what's going on.  

        "What I'm going to attempt to do is make Sheryl a cover out of the
same stuff as the scarf, but it's going to only cover the parts of her that
are affected by the curse.  It's a fairly regular pattern," Kardia squinted
at lines only she could see, "but seems to be intertwined with all of her
senses as well as her bodily functions, so it's going to have to cover all
of her.  Each thread, though, is going to be based on the pattern of the
curse.  The cover is going to have to fit her self-image of herself, so
it emphasizes what she physically is. "

        Kardia carefully picked up a hoof and measured it's diameter,
thickness and where and how it split.  Sheryl nickered almost like a giggle
when Kardia touched the ticklish frog of her foot and when the 'corn pulled
back at the ticklishness, Kardia let go and grinned at her.  "'Raelf
mentioned that the curse was also messing with Sheryl's magical expression
of her unicorn capabilities.  And, right here..." Kardia ran a light finger
around the base of Sheryl's horn, "there's a concentration of both the
curse and Sheryl's magic, and that's going to be the really tricky part.
What I'm going to do is make the bulk of the cover with the measurements
that I get today.  Then I'm going to come over and make the section that
concentrates right here with Sheryl.  One thing you two have got to know is
that while I'm working on it, I am not going to be speaking to anyone, and
that's going to be easier if I'm just closeted with Sheryl."

        "What do you mean, not speaking to anyone?" asked Andrea.

        Kardia grinned, "I don't know if it's necessary, but it's what I
did when I broke my brothers' curse.  While I'm actively working on the
weaving or knitting of the cover, I just don't speak to anyone.  It might
be good if you could run interference for me.  I can write, and I do bring
around a notepad when I am doing that; but it's easier if folks know that I
can't speak while doing the curse breaking.  It's going to be at least
three days of work, one of them with Sheryl."

        She finished with the last of her measurements and the whole paper
was covered with arrows and lines and numbers.  

        "If you like, we could start tomorrow.  I have a few things I
want to finish up, today, before I go into silence."  Kardia started
to pack up her things.

        Andrea looked at the detailed drawings and frowned, "All right.
Since you haven't brought it up yet, how much is this going to cost?"

        Kardia blinked.  "Cost?  Hmmm... I'd appreciate it if you could do
my room and board and run interference while I'm working on her.  That
might be a rather boring three days for you.  The cost of the materials is
going to run about four gold, as it takes some time and work to process the
stuff, but as small as she is, I'm not going to need more than four ounces
of fiber and that's my running rate.  Other than that..."  Kardia shrugged,
"I guess it's up to you what you feel like paying."

     Andrea burst out laughing.  Kardia stopped packing to look
at Andrea, and Sheryl turned her head to look at her.  "I spent
years and years searching, and amassing thousands of gold coins
to pay off whatever great wizard would agree to lift the curse
for me," she explained when she had calmed down enough to speak
again.  "And now, when I finally find someone who will lift the
curse, what price does she ask?  Four gold pieces, and a little
of my time."  She laughed some more.
     Kardia grinned at the laughter, "Well," she said, "I told 
you I wasn't a wizard.  I'm just a spinster, charging for the 
work I do.  So am I to take it the four gold coins are not a
problem?" 
     "Hell no," Andrea said.  "I just spent five thousand gold
pieces on a huge old house, four gold pieces is POCKET CHANGE for
me. Right now, anyway."
     Kardia looked up.  "A house?"
     Andrea nodded.  "Yes, a house.  Great big thing, 150,000
square feet or so the deed said."
     Kardia whistled, "150,000 square feet?  Why, that's a
mansion!"
     Andrea nodded.  "It certainly is.  And on top of Merchant's
Hill, too.  Can you see the irony?"
     "Why so inexpensive?" Kardia asked.
     "Well, it has a few problems that need debugging..."
     Kardia nearly dropped her fountain pen.  "Debugging?"
     Andrea nodded.  "It's a magic term--some new spells have
problems in them, called bugs, and they have to be rewritten to
get rid of the bugs.  What, did I say something wrong?"
     Kardia shook her head.  "No..." she laughed softly, "It's
just that they used the same term for a similar meaning where I
come from, and I was suprised to hear it here.  Tell me, what
'bugs' does this house have?"
     Andrea explained briefly about the manse's past history as
Kardia put away the string and paper. "and the clerk said it
had killed over twenty adventurers already," she finished.
"Not that I believe him, of course. Anyway, I'm trying to get a
party together, a Housestorming party, to go in, disarm the
traps, and make it a livable place again.  I hope we can start
in a week or so."
     Kardia nodded.  "So what are you going to do after that?"
she asked.  "150,000 square feet is a mighty big house..."
     Andrea shrugged.  "You know, I hadn't thought of that.  I
suppose I could offer rooms to all my friends...Hey!"  Andrea
looked up.  "That could be how I could repay you beyond the terms
you've asked.  How would you like free room and board at my
house, for as long as you want to stay?"
     Kardia considered.  Staying with a friend would be better
than rooming at Mrs. Cludne's...and what better way to avoid
being burglarized than living with a thief?  "All right.  That
sounds like a good deal."
     "Shake on it?" Andrea extended her hand.  Kardia started to
reach out, then realized she was still holding the pen.  She put
into her bag and then shook hands with Andrea, sealing the deal
and their friendship.
     As Kardia tucked her drawing bag in her pouch she said, "So,
how long have you been studying magic?"
     Andrea started.  "Huh?"
     "You seem to know some things about magic," Kardia said.
"Your use of the term 'debugging,' for example."  And she pointed
to the dresser beside the bed where Andrea's knapsack was lying
half-open.  "And I don't mean to pry, but I couldn't help but
notice that old book in there.  It looks like some sort of
magical text."
     Andrea sighed.  "Oh, I guess for ten years, off and on.  I
guess I thought that if I learned more about magic, it might help
me in my search for Sheryl's cure."
     "Did it?" Kardia asked.
     Andrea shook her head.  "I never really got very far in it,"
she said.  "In ten years, all I've really learned are a couple of
cantrips."  Actually she was being a bit conservative; she
actually knew two or three small but highly-useful spells.  "I
can cast them okay when I remember to memorize them.  But I never
really bothered to study full-time--I don't want to become
dependant on magic rather than on my own skills."
     Kardia nodded.  "Wise of you."
     They stepped out, walked back down to the main taproom.
Kardia's step was still pronouncedly strange, almost as if she
hadn't used her left leg properly in a long time.  Andrea sat
down at her table and ordered an ale.
     As she sipped from it, Kardia went to the bulletin board,
looked at her notice for a moment, then pulled it down with an
odd look on her face.  "My," she said softly and then looked at
Andrea.  "Could I also impose upon you to share some of your
house's room with another person?  I think this is going to be a
very interesting person..."  She showed Andrea the butterfly in
the colors of the rainbow and the word Jameson written upon it.
"Would that be all right?"
     Andrea examined the notice.  She wasn't sure what "Toad the
Wet Sprocket" meant, but that didn't draw her attention.  What
did was the rainbow-colored ink that this Jameson person had
used, and the smooth, even, feminine handwriting in which she'd
signed her name.
     "Hmm.  I'd be inclined to say yes, but on one condition, I
think.  I don't want any of my guests owing me favors, so I think
that I'll agree if this person is willing to help somehow with
the housestorming.  Whoever she is, she's certain to have some
kind of skills that could be of use, whether it's a sharp mind or
a sharp sword.  Given the form of this person's handwriting, I'd
say it's more inclined to be the former."
     "You can tell this?" Kardia asked.
     "I've read some on handwriting analysis," Andrea said.  At
Kardia's raised eyebrow, she added, "It's useful for forgery and
also for reading scrawled spell formulas in old musty tomes."
     Kardia grinned.  "Of course."  She looked over toward the
table by the fire, where 'Raelf and ar'Elya were sitting, along
with someone else.  "I'm going to go eat with 'Raelf," Kardia
said.  "Join us?"
     Andrea shook her head.  "No, we've already eaten.  I think
I'll go back to my room and study some more, maybe plan for
later.  I'll see you around."
     Kardia simply nodded.  Then she walked over to 'Raelf's table as
Andrea took her tankard of ale and went back to her room.

-- 
Liralen Li             |  "... and how you feel can make it real 
aka Phyllis Rostykus   |       Real as anything you've seen... "
li@Data-IO.com         |                      Peter Gabriel _US_